Four Mexborough shops left counting the cost after devastating arson attack

FOUR independent businesses have been left devastated after an arsonist doused a shopping precinct in petrol — causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Shop owners at Mexborough’s Bank Street arcade told of their heartbreak after the site was torched just after midnight yesterday (Wednesday).

“I was so shocked,” said the owner of Kings and Queens salon, who arrived at the scene with fellow business owner Billy Kimber in the early hours.

“We are all just small businesses. We are all just hard-working people. It’s just absolutely knocked us for six.”

Police were called at 12.25am and an investigation was underway yesterday.

CCTV footage showed one suspect, believed to be a man, dousing the building with petrol in a number of different places.

The salon owner, who did not want to be named, said: “What they have done is come through the front door, poured petrol through my shop, through the multi media centre, across the outside of the bouncy castle hire business all the way down the arcade and covered Bijoux Tattoo’s doors, poured it across their equipment and lit the fire at the rear of the building.”

The blaze caused several “explosions” and was tackled by three fire crews for over 90 minutes.

The salon owner said he believed it was a planned attack and branded the arsonist “absolutely disgusting”.

He added: “We come to work just to make a living. We do quite a bit for the community, we’re partaking in a charity event this weekend for child burns victims.

“It just seems like you can’t have anything these days.”

The salon owner estimated the fire would cost him around £30,000, including loss of earnings.

Mr Kimber, who owns Bijoux Tattoo, said when he arrived at the scene he was devastated and feared for people’s safety.

“When you see fire you think people are going to get hurt,” he said.

“It’s probably going to cost me around £3,000 and we will be forced to close for I don’t know how long.

“I don’t know if I’ll return to Mexborough. Over the last couple of months it’s just progressively getting worse.”

To pass any information onto police, call 101 and quote incident 14 of March 27 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.